The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-09-01
The complaint, as we understand 1t, Is
that q majority of the people have voted

The complaint, as we understand 1t, is
that a majority of the people have voted
down q proposition for q longer term and
have adopted one for q shorter term OF
school. without entering into discussion
of the justice or propriety of the action
taken, or of the course pursued by those
whoare most criticised, we will only re.
mark that, so far as we are informed, 1t is
strictly. legal and in accordance with the
law. If this be true, there is novalid ground
for the great cutlery which has gone out
about the "war on the public schools" II
the school law is defective, there the re-
sponsibility should lie-St. Cloud Times.
The Times is disingenuous in the
above paragraph, and seeks to throw
the responsibility upon the law,
which is of itself, wise and, sensible.
There are any number of school dis.
tricts in the state which do not re-
quire, and from the nature of things
can not successfully maintain five
months of school, as the Times very
we'll knows, as it also knows Mel.
rose is not one Of them. Rural dis
tricts with small attendance in
sparsely settled sections of the state
are, of necessity, precluded from con-
tlnueus school during the severe
cold weather, as well as during the
summer months. Young children
cannot travel the long distances be
tween their homes and the school
house and the law contemplated this
condition of affairs, which is not
exceptional, and yet in order that
even such district might participate
in the public school fund they arc re-
CURED to maintain school five
months in the year.
In the case of Melrose the condi-
tions are wholly different. The dis
trict has four-room building re-
Gently erected, has the largest at
tendance of any public school under
the general state system in Stearns
county, has always been we'll attend,
ed and fiourishing, and there has
been no complaint relative to its
management, either educational or
financial. The only argument ad-
vanced by the majority is that of
might've have the power and we
propose to exercise it, They say
they do not like the public school
system, in so many words, and give
that as the motive for -throttling the
public schools. and conform to the
five months clause of the law because
by so doing the state will pay them
a certain sum of money which would
not otherwise be obtainable. They
desire to build up parochial school
and in order to do so must pull
down the public school. The two
can not co-exist without its impos-
ing a small tax upon them, and
that is contrary to their interest, if
not their principle. They say the
public schools are Goddess because
they do not teach religion-and that
of certain type. Catholic
children could hardly be expected to
attend parochial sch OOls, not because
they teach religion as such but be-
cause certain doctrines are incul
Gated. not in accord with their be
lief. The same argument the Catho
lies cannot turn against the public
schools, for there no religious nor
doctrinal lessons are taught. That
is outside their province. 1t is th'
home and the church which have t.
deal with these.
And again, the Times ignores the
methods pursued-not one. word Of
condemnation for them. Let a cas-,
be supposed, which is hardly sup
possible: should some non-Catholi'
clergyman welding sufficient powe
to accomplish his purpose head ;
movement in person to exclude al
Catholic children from the public
schools either all or portion of tn
school year, would the Times fail t,
raise it's voice in just con
demnation of such bigotry and intol
erance2 Would it not brand sucl
action as unpatriotie, unchristiar
and revolutionary Would it no
see in such action just grounds TO
alarm of a religious war? TIL,
HERALD woodland just as quickl.
the Times. The spirit manifested b.
Father Williams and his followers il
the saline in principle. There is al
element of religious intolerance il
the Melrose trouble, the only de
fence offered being that majority S,
willed it. The fact that this majorit,
are principally adopted citizens il
not to be considered.